By Penny Pawl, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
Winter isn't over, but in my garden it feels like spring has sprung. This is my favorite time of year. I discovered a bearded iris in bloom today, two months early and a great surprise.
The first thing on my to-do list in February is to weed. The weeds loved those early rains and now it is warming up. They need to be removed before they go to seed.
One weeding tool that works well for me is a weed torch or flame weeder made specifically for gardening. It uses a propane tank and a wand. You wave the flame over the weeds to kill them. It works best on small, young weeds growing in hardscape or gravel, and it doesn't damage the soil as many commercial herbicides may do.
Don't use a weed torch during dry spells or on hot, windy days. Keep the flame away from dead or brown material or flammable items like fencing. Wear sturdy shoes and have water nearby to stop any possible flare-ups. Some areas have bans on flame weeders, so check with your local fire department before investing in the equipment.
It's not too late to do sheet composting for weed control. You can find a lot of information about this method online. Basically, you are smothering the weeds by covering them with sheets of cardboard. If you want to plant something before the cardboard has decomposed, just cut a hole in it and dig your planting hole.
One year I experimented by planting half of my broccoli seedlings in soil covered by cardboard and the other half in uncovered soil. The plants in soil covered by cardboard did better.
If you haven't already done so, it's time to prune roses, fruit trees and other shrubs and trees. You can control growth better if you prune before the leaves and flowers come out in the spring.
Plant any bare-root trees and roses now. Remember to water them as they settle into their new home.
We know that drought conditions may continue so keep that in mind when planning your garden this year. Look online for information about the water-wise French intensive method of gardening. If you are planting a new landscape, consider California native plants, which tend to be drought resistant.
Snails and slugs are just beginning to appear so watch for their damage. You can purchase commercial products to control them or try some more homespun methods. One tactic is to lay a board down where you see damage. Snails and slugs like to crawl underneath, so the next day you can stand on the board and crush them. You can also pick them off by hand if you go out at night with a flashlight.
Snails and slugs are hermaphrodites, which means they all lay eggs. They lay about 80 eggs four times a year, so it's important to keep them under control.
If you have plants in pots, now it the time to repot them. Use fresh soil and trim the old roots to make room for new ones. Try to match the potting soil to the needs of the plants. Most container plants need soil that drains well.
It's also a good time to move any plant that's in the wrong place in your garden. To make sure the top and the root ball are in proportion, trim both back when you transplant.
Start seeds for summer vegetables and other plants in February and March. I use a commercial seedling mix for this process. It is especially designed for newly emerging plants.
Be sure to read the seed packets for sowing instructions. Some seeds take longer to sprout than others and some need to be planted deeper than others. Keep your newly planted seeds by a sunny window. If you have a heat lamp or a seed-heating pad, they will appreciate that special treatment and sprout more quickly. Keep the soil damp but not soggy to prevent seeds from rotting before they sprout. You can also make a mini hothouse by inverting a large bottle over your seedling pot.
If the dry weather continues, monitor your in-ground plants and container plants. If the soil is dry, it's time to water. I have noted that some of my pots have dried out even though it has been cool this winter. Also, if we have a hard freeze, plants will survive better if they have moisture. I know this from experience.
Food Growing Forum: Napa County Master Gardeners will host this forum on “Planning & Record Keeping and Crop Rotation” on Sunday, February 13, from 3 pm to 4 pm. Register to receive the Zoom link at https://ucanr.edu/2022FoodForumFeb.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “Weed ID, Frost Protection and Drip Irrigation” on Saturday, February 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Las Flores Learning Garden, 4300 Linda Vista Avenue, Napa. Register: https://bit.ly/3J1QFl8
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workhop on “How to Improve Home Vineyard Soil Health for Grape Quality and Climate Change” on Saturday, February 26, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Whether the workshop will be in person or via Zoom is still being determined.
You must register to attend. Registrants will receive an email a few days before the event with the workshop location or Zoom link. Register at https://ucanr.edu/2022HomeVineyardSoilFeb
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workhop on “Your Soil Can Save Us! Garden Soil and Climate Change” on Sunday, February 27, from 1 pm to 3 pm, at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Details: https://napamg.ucanr.edu
Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email.
For more information visit https://napamg.ucanr.edu or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
The process I use is called sheet composting, and it is simply a method of building a compost pile in place. You can not only use this procedure on well-turned vegetable beds but also on a lawn, or part of a lawn, that you would like to use differently.
I gather materials for sheet composting throughout the year so that by fall I have a big pile of clean cardboard. I avoid the type of cardboard with slick sides because it takes longer to break down and contains clay. I also gather dried leaves, newsprint, decaying plants without seeds, some compost and aged chicken manure. In short, I use the same materials you would use in a compost or worm bin.
If you plan to sheet compost in an area that has never been dug, then turn the soil to a depth of two feet. This process aerates the soil so air and water will move through it more easily. If you are sheet composting in a grassy area, then loosen and turn the sod over so it will die. You will build your pile on top.
If I have old vegetable plants still in the beds, I cut them up and leave them in place. I may also put some kitchen waste on top of that. Then I build alternating layers, as if making lasagne. You can use whatever organic materials you have. I usually use cardboard, leaves and newsprint (laying them out in sheets – no need to cut up) or shredded paper. Then I repeat the layers. I top off the pile with aged compost and chicken manure. If my garden plot has diminished in height during the growing season, I may add more clean soil or compost when I construct the layers. I moisten each layer, then wet everything again. Then I cover with a plastic tarp, making sure it is secured on the sides so it does not go flying in the wind.
Watering each level is important because it encourages the microbes and other creatures to wake up and go to work. The red wigglers used in worm composting will start to move in and munch on the foods they love. They especially like cardboard and will move inside the corrugation. They enjoy the glue that keeps the cardboard together, and I often find that the cardboard layer disappears first.
Depending on the rain, you may not have to water the pile during the winter. However, it is a good idea to check the pile from time to time and water again if necessary to keep the layers moist.
In late April or early May, remove the plastic and see what has happened to your compost pile. It should be full of red wigglers and other creatures, and you may see some little white bugs hopping around. These creatures worked the pile for you, so you don’t have to do spring digging. As they worked through the compost, they turned the soil for you.
Sometimes the cardboard or other items are not completely decomposed by spring. I plant in the bed anyway by cutting holes in the cardboard where I want my plants to grow. On other occasions, I have covered the soil with cardboard and cut holes for my plants. This cardboard layer helps conserve soil moisture.
I once sheet-composted a bed in July and covered it with plastic. In late September I removed the plastic and found no trace of the materials I had layered just a few weeks before—only a bed of wonderful soil.
The droppings that the worms leave behind (known as worm castings) are beneficial to plants. They are a mild natural fertilizer containing all the trace elements. Some call these castings “worm gold.” It sells for about $600 a yard. When I plant in the spring, I do dig in some more chicken manure and worm compost from my worm bins.
Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.
Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.